Hitch



Jan. 26 ,1'926. 1,571,094

I J. M. PERKINS I HITCH iginal Filed a h 12, 192; v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1WITNESS: ATTORNE! Jan. 26 ,1926. 1,511,094

J. M. PERKINS linen Original Filed March 12, 1923 4 Shgts-Sheet 2 c/me-sZZZ Perkz'zza INVENTOR WITNESS: ATTORNEY J. M. PERKINS HITCH Jan. 261926.

arm; Filed March 12, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 JWWM B Y%%;

ATTORNEY J. M. PERKINS HITCH I Original Filed March 12 1923 4Sheets-Sheet 4 WITNESS:

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

JAMES M. rnnirrns, or WEST BEND, IOWA.

HITCH.

Application filed March 12, 1923, Serial No. 624,546. Renewed July 17,1925.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs M. PERKINS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Nest Bend, in the county ofPalo Alto and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Hitches, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to produce a hitch for use as connectingmeans for rain binders arranged in gangs as well as for hitching thefront binder to the tractor or other propelling means in a mannerwhereby the binders will be retained in proper staggered relation toeach other, the tongue trucks of the binder will be caused to turnfaster than the poles, making square turns possible and likewise causingthe several binders to turn at the proper tlme, as well as relieving thepropelling means and binders from undue strain incident to the turningof the binders.

To the attainment of the foregoing, and other objects which will presentthemselves as the nature of the invention is better understood,reference is to be had to the drawings which accompany and which formpart of this application.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of the hitch between a binderand the propelling means therefor.

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing by the dotted lines the mannerin which the tongue truck is turned quicker than. the tongue. I

Figure 1- 'is a top plan view of the improvement showing the manner inwhich the same is attached to the tongue truck, a portion of the latterbeing in section.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a sectional. view on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the improvement.

Figure 8 is a -fragmentary bottom plan view thereof.

Figure 9 is a connecting binders when arranged in gang formation.

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the truckof the binder tongues are caused to turn faster than the tongues andconsequently. faster than the binders. 1

view illustrating the hitch,

Figure 11 is a side elevation of the construction disclosed in Figure 9.

Figure 12 is an enlarged top plan View more clearly illustrating thehitch.

Figure 13 is an elevation with parts in section, to illustrate themanner in which the hitch is attached to the tongue truck.

Figure lt is a fragmentary perspective view of parts of the improvement.

As my hitch may be employed as a connecting means between a singlebinder and the propelling means therefor and as the structure isslightly modified from that employed in connecting gangs of binders Ihave, in Figures 1 to 8 of the drawings, shown in detail a form of hitchconstruction especially designed for this purpose. In certain of thesefigures the forward portion of a grain binder is indicated by thenumeral 1, the tongue 2 thereof having its outer end supported on atongue truck 2 of the usual construction. The tongue truck has its frameprovided with the usual standard that is revolubly received in a bearingbracket on the end of the tongue 2, and on the standard between thespaced projecting arms of the bracket there is pivotally mounted abifurcated casting to which the draft pole 5 is ordinarily pivoted. Inthe present instance the pole is cut-away to provide a comparativelyshort block, and on the under face of this block there is secured astrap 6 that has one end provided with an eye 7 through whichpasses apivot 8 that attaches the same to the casting. Arranged at one side ofthe block 5, in a line parallel therewith there is a bar and pivotallyconnecting the said bar, adjacent to the rear thereof to the rear of theblock 5 thereis a cross strap or plate 10, the pivots being indicated inthe drawings by the numeral 9. Pivotally secured to the rear end of thebar 4 and to one side of the pole 2 there is a rod 16, the latterpreferably having a hooked outer end that is received in an opening 17in the said end of the bar 4.

Pivotally secured, as at 10 to the forward end of the block 5, as at 11there is a strap or plate 12, the same having adjacent to its free end aseries of spaced openings 13, one of which designed to register with aseries of openings 14 in the bar 1. There is passed through the aligningopenings a pivot member 15, the same being preferably in the nature of aheaded stud that has its shank slotted to receive therethrough removableretaining means such as a cotter pin. As a matter of fact, all of thepivots as well as the connecting means for the eye carrying strap 6 havetheir shanks slotted for the reception of cotter pins.

The bar 12 is arranged at an outward angle with respect to the block 5,and the outer or forward end'of the bar 4: is connected in the usualmanner to the propelling means for the binder 1, the same in the presentinstance being in the nature of a tractor 3. V v

By reference to the diagrammatical view, Figure 3, it will be seen thatwhen the tractor 3 makes a turn the same willpull directly on the bar tto cause the same to assume an outward angle with respect to the tongue2, andlike wise cause the strap or plate 12 to exerta direct pull on thetruck 2, causing the latter to turn more quickly than the tongue 2, andconsequently permit of the binder making a short square turn withoutundue strain thereon or on the tractor.

The hitch employed for connecting a gang of tractors is only slightlydifferent from the construction above set forth and has been illustratedin the remaining figures of the drawings. While I have in Figure 9 shownonly two binders connected in accordance with my improvement it is, ofcourse, obvious that any desired number of these machines may bearranged to the rear and to one side of each other. The binders 1 areprovided centrally to the rear of their cutters with coupling means 18to which there are pivotally connected bars 19 similar to the bar 4. Thetongue 20 of each binder is mounted on the tongue truck 21, thebifurcated casting 22 which is arranged between the parallel arms of thebracket 23 secured to the forward end of the tongue and through whichthe standard of the truck frame passes haspivotally connected theretothe eye of astrap that is secured to a block 24 similar to the block 5.The forward end of the block has pivoted thereto a bar or strap 25similar to the strap 12, the same being adjustably connected to the bar19 in a manner similar to the connection of the strap 12 with the bar 4.The bar 19 terminates a slight distance to the rear of its pivotalconnection with the strap 25, and there is pivotally secured, as at 26to the said end of the bar 19, one arm of an angle member 27. The secondend of the angle member is pivotally connected, as at 26 to the rear ofthe block 24. Between the angle arms ofthe member 27 there is a brace28, and pivotally connected to the rear arm of the angle member 27 thereis a rod 29 which is likewise pivoted to one side of the tongue 20.

By reference to the diagram shown in Figure 10 of the drawings it willbe seen that when the forward binder 1 is turned the pivotal connectionbetween the coupling 18 and the bar 19 will be first broken andthereafter a direct pull will be exerted between the coupling and thebar. This causes a direct pull to be exerted upon the strap 25 and asthe rod 19 is swung on its pivotal connection with the strap 25 untilthese elements are almost in a line the truck 21 will be turned to adetermined angle before the tongue 20 is caused to turn. The elements 27and 29 materially brace the tongue and materially assist the turning ofthe several binders at the proper point in which said turning shouldoccur so that the cutters of all of the binders will be arranged to therear but at the sides of each other.

A hitch constructed as above described may be easily produced, cheaplymanufactured and easily installed without the employment of skilledlabor. The advantages of the improvement will, it is thought, beapparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates,but I do not desire it understood that I am to be restricted to theprecise structural details herein set forth as I hold myself entitled toall such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my claims withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, I claim 1. The combination with a binderhaving a truck supporting the tongue thereof and a tractor forpropelling the binder, of a hitch comprising a bar loosely connected tothe pole and tractor, a block disposed to one side of the bar, a platesecured thereon having an eye end, flexible means passing through theeye for connecting the block to the axle of the truck, transverse platespivotally connecting the inner ends of the bar and block, a platepivotally secured to the outer end of the block and disposed angularlyover the bar, said plate having spaced apertures and said bar having asingle aperture with which one of the first mentioned apertures isdesigned to align, and securing means passing through the aligningapertures.

2. A hitch for connecting binders arranged in gangs and for connectingthe propelling means for the foremost binder, comprising each a blockpivotally supported on the standard of the binder tongue trucks, a bararranged to one side of the block each connected to the leading bindersand to the propelling means, means pivotally connecting the rear of thebar with the rear of the block, a brace rod arranged angularly of andpivotally secured to the outer rear end of the hitch and one side of thetongue, and a strap plate pivotally secured to the outer end of theblock, disposed at an outward an- Igle therefrom and adjustably pivotedto the 3. A hitch for binders arranged in gangs and for the propellingmeans for the binders, each comprising a block pivotally connected forvertical swinging to the tongue truck frames of the binders, a bar of agreater length than the block arranged to one side thereof, and said barbeing respectively pivotally connected to the adjacent binders and tothe propelling means for the binders, said bar having spaced aperturestherethrough, a strap plate pivoted to the for ward end of the blockhaving adjacent its outer end spaced apertures, a removable pivotpassing through one of the aligning apertures in the strap and in thebar means pivotally connecting the rear end of the bar to the rear ofthe block, and a brace rod pivotally connected to one side of each ofthe trucks, arranged at an outward angle therefrom and pivotallyconnected to the rear of the hitch.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES M. PERKINS.

